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Frequently Asked Questions

You can search the FAQs on our website by keyword or category above. 

A list of the most commonly asked questions.

I registered for a UFT course. If the location of a class has changed, or day or week, how will the online registrants be notified?

The UFT Course Program will contact registrants if there are any changes.

I am not a UFT member. Can I register to take a UFT course? If so, how do I register?

You can take UFT courses if they are open to non-members, but in most cases, higher registration fees may be incurred. 

I'm nearing the end of my career and considering when to retire. What are my next steps to pursue retirement?

First, attend a UFT pension clinic. It's a mini-course on your retirement benefits. For upcoming clinics, see: https://www.uft.org/your-benefits/pension/pension-clinics.

Then, make an appointment for a preliminary pension consult. At this private consultation, you will receive an estimate of your retirement allowance and answers to your questions about retirement benefits. We advise that everyone have a minimum of one preliminary borough consultation before your final consultation. You may have more than one preliminary consultation during your career. Call a borough office to make an appointment: 

  • Bronx: 718-379-6200
  • Brooklyn: 718-852-4900
  • Manhattan: 212-598-6800
  • Queens: 718-275-4400
  • Staten Island: 718-605-1400


As you near closer to retirement, book an appointment for final pension consultation. You are entitled to only one final consultation during your career, so most members complete them in the final months of work.

To make an appointment, call 212-331-6311 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Meetings are scheduled in the borough office most convenient to you. It is advisable that if you are married, your spouse accompany you. A single person may be accompanied by a trusted confidant. During the final pension consultation you will be able to: 

  • Estimate your retirement allowance;
  • Discuss using the Teachers' Retirement System or the Board of Education Retirement System as a means for protecting heirs and beneficiaries;
  • Discuss removing contributions, where permissible, from the system at retirement;
  • Aid you in completing the retirement application;
  • Learn about health and welfare fund benefits;
  • Answer all of your other retirement questions.


For more information about filing for retirement, see the UFT's step-by-step guide: https://www.uft.org/news/you-should-know/filing-retirement-step-step and a guide to pension benefits: https://www.uft.org/news/you-should-know/pension-benefits-nutshell. 

Where can I find my annual benefits statement and what information does that document contain?

The Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) issues this individualized report each fall to in-service members and members on a leave of absence for up to seven school years. The statement summarizes the members' Total Service Credit and lists their designated beneficiaries. Benefit estimates and benefit projections are also provided to certain retirement-eligible members. This information is reported as of the previous June 30.

To see your statement, go to the TRS page at: https://www.trsnyc.org/.

What is the role of a UFT Political Action Coordinator (PAC) and what are some ways they could help me and my school?

The UFT's Political Action Department is active in a wide variety of political battles across the city in support of New York’s children and schools. Our Political Action Coordinators (PAC) are key players in this work. 

PACs handle:

  • Day to day borough activities
  • City Council and state legislation
  • Volunteer work
  • Phone banking
  • Canvassing
  • School Budgets: Participatory budgeting through City Council/ Capitol Funding
  • Lobby Day
  • District lobbying for State and City legislatures goes through the PAC

At all times, UFT members and staff must notify their PAC that a politician is coming to their school building.

PACs can help with: 
 

  • Graduation
  • Speakers for school events
  • Turkeys and other donations
  • Giveaways
  • Support for school fairs
  • COPE and Voter Registration

For more information or to get involved in political action, contact the Political Action Department at 212-598-7747. You can also reach your borough’s political action coordinator using the information below:

Borough Political Action Coordinators:

Borough political action coordinators

Brooklyn: Greg Monte
Bronx: Margaret Borrelli
Manhattan: Dennis Gault
Queens: Lamar Hughes
Staten Island: Donna Coppola

Get more information about the UFT's Political Action Department »

How do I place an advertisement/ad in the UFT paper/New York Teacher?

Any advertising questions should be directed to Jackie Gottlieb. She can be reached at 212-598-7735 or via email at NYT_advertising@uft.org.

I have an idea for a story for the UFT paper/New York Teacher. Who can I share this with?

Please send an email to Suzanne Popadin, Editor of New York Teacher at New_York_Teacher@uft.org. Please include the best phone number where we will be able to reach you.

A member/colleague has passed away and I would like to get an obituary in the UFT paper/New York Teacher. Who can I notify?

We don't publish obituaries in the UFT paper, but they are published on our UFT Honors web site at https://ufthonors.uft.org.

Please fill out our online form to tell us about the life of a UFT member who has died. 
 

I’m not receiving the New York Teacher/UFT paper. How do I get it sent to me?

Contact the UFT membership department in writing, either by emailing membership@uft.org or by sending a written request to the UFT Membership Department, 52 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.

I no longer wish to receive the UFT paper/New York Teacher. How can I get this to stop being sent to me?

Contact the UFT membership department in writing, either by emailing membership@uft.org, or by sending a written request to the UFT Membership Department, 52 Broadway, New York, NY 10004.